Maritime and Coastguard Agency

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), part of the UK Department for Transport, has safeguarded lives at sea for over 200 years. Its mission – “Safer lives, safer ships, cleaner seas” – extends beyond search and rescue to proactive prevention through intelligence, compliance, and collaboration. 

One of MCA’s most pressing priorities is reducing preventable deaths in the UK’s commercial fishing industry, statistically the most dangerous occupation in the country. Despite legislation and awareness campaigns, only 5% of fishers wore life jackets while working at sea – a critical compliance gap MCA set out to close.

Challenge

The MCA’s Regulatory Compliance Investigation Team faced a multi-layered operational and strategic problem:

• Fragmented systems: 14 separate platforms caused duplication, inefficiency, and poor visibility. 
• Disjointed intelligence: Field data, compliance reports, and enforcement actions were siloed, making risk prioritisation difficult. 
• Inconsistent tasking: No unified process for investigations or enforcement, leading to delays and missed opportunities. 
• Disclosure risks: Manual compliance with CPIA and Attorney General’s guidelines increased legal risk. 
• Human impact: Investigators were overwhelmed by complexity, leading to stress and burnout due to lack of tools and clarity. 
• External pressures: Global pandemic, rising costs, and scrutiny from stakeholders amplified the urgency for change. 

Solution

MCA implemented Clue as the backbone of a new compliance and intelligence-led enforcement model: 

• Unified platform: Consolidated 14 systems into one, creating a single source of truth for intelligence, investigations, and compliance. 
• Structured processes: Embedded the National Decision-Making Model and gateway referral process for consistent case handling.
• Tactical coordination: Introduced a NIM-compliant Tactical Coordination Group for prioritisation and accountability. 
• Disclosure management: Automated compliance with CPIA and Attorney General’s guidelines, reducing risk and investigator stress. 
• Data integration: Achieved one Data Protection Impact Assessment covering MCA and partner agencies, simplifying governance.
• Operational efficiency: Improved evidence capture, task resolution, and response times through centralised workflows. 
• Cultural shift: Positioned compliance as the organising principle of MCA’s regulatory architecture, connecting policy, intelligence, and enforcement. 
• Scalable design: Expanded Clue licenses across MCA, embedding web forms into inspections and legal oversight for future-proofing.

“Clue didn’t just give us a system. It gave us clarity. It helped us turn information into strategy and data into decisions.” – MCA Regulatory Compliance Investigation Team

Impact

The transformation delivered measurable operational and strategic outcomes: 

• Compliance surge: Life jacket usage among commercial fishers rose from 5% to 55% – a tenfold increase. 
• Zero prosecutions: Enforcement shifted from punitive to proactive, reducing harm without heavy-handed regulation. 
• Financial recovery: £400,000 reclaimed under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
• Efficiency gains: Faster task resolution, improved response rates, and consistent evidential standards. 
• Investigator well-being: Reduced stress and cognitive load through structured workflows. 
• Strategic alignment: Compliance now sits at the heart of MCA’s regulatory architecture, connecting policy, intelligence, and enforcement. 
• Public confidence: MCA’s proactive approach showcased on national media (Channel 5 documentary), reinforcing trust and transparency. 

By unifying intelligence, compliance, and enforcement through Clue, MCA has not only transformed its operations but also delivered what matters most – safer lives, safer ships, and cleaner seas.